Unknown Fear
by AMCmajorfan
Summary: More of an Promised Land story than an Touched By An Angel. Taken after the PL episode MIRROR IMAGE.
1. Nightmare

Writers Note:Taken after the "Promised Land" episode MIRROR IMAGE: {Excited about their upcoming anniversary and having Claire all to himself, Russell embraces her   
tightly to dance. This causes Claire to wince and later in the shower she discovers a painful lump in her breast. The following day Claire slips away to a local women's hospital alone. There she becomes fast friends with Rachel, a young woman she meets in the waiting room. Rachel becomes really shaken after learning she must face the mastectomy of her left breast. Everything's changed for her now. She's scared. Angry. Rachel decides to break things off with David, her fiancee. Claire consoles her on their drive home. Once at the   
trailer park, Claire gently finds the words to tell Russell of her own ordeal. At the hospital with Russell for the first time, Claire's mastectomy proves inconclusive. She must undergo a biopsy. The entire family is told of what Claire is facing. Josh and Dinah are quietly alarmed. Nathaniel is very vocal about not wanting Claire in the hospital where "people go to die". Hattie pulls them back from the edges, by reminding them that God is the one who holds their family together. Rachel comes out of surgery feeling groggy, yet more resolved to face life on her own as "half-woman" now. During Claire's surgery, Russell shares his wisdom and hope with David. Then Russell ducks into a stairwell to pray. He tells God of his fears of losing Claire. He's full of pleading questions. Tess appears; lighting the stairwell and dispelling the darkness of Russell's doubts. Claire's biopsy is negative. The entire family celebrates as Russell and Claire renew their vows. Rachel and David join in, committed to each other and the life that is still possible for her to lead.} 

Writers Note: This is more of an "Promised Land" story than "Touched By An Angel". Monica is in from the start to the finish but like I said is more of an PL story.

  
  


**********

  
  


The heart monter goes flat. All you can hear in the surgery room is one long buzzing nose.   
  
"Time of death: 3:15 PM." The doctor said gravely as he removed his gloves and than his mask and than his hat.   
  
"Time to go home Claire." Andrew said glorying on the right side of Claire.  
  
Claire gets up and off the table and turns to Andrew. "I'm ready..."  
  
Suddenly Claire sits up sweaty in the bed she shared with Russell in the trailer. Her breath comes heavy and she looks wildly around but could not see Andrew. She brought her shaky hands up to her face and pulled back her sweaty shoulder length brown hair from her face.   
  
"Poor Claire she had another nightmare." Monica said to Tess from where she sat at the table watching Claire Greene trying to come to terms with the nightmare she just had.  
  
"Claire isn't afraid of dying she is afraid of leaving her family behind without second thought." Tess said kindly.  
  
Monica looked at Tess in understanding. "So is Claire my next assignment."  
  
Tess looked at Monica "You got it Angel girl. You are the Angel of TRUTH; and the only one who can help Claire." With that Tess disappeared.  
  
"Don't worry none Claire you will be all right." Monica said softly as she watched Claire get off the bed gently so not to wake Russell and moved to the sink to get an drink of water.  
  
Claire took the glass from the counter and quietly filled it with the tap water and turned and saw that she hadn't waken anyone up. She walked to the table and sat down next to Monica not realizing that Monica was there and took an sip of the water.  
  
"Oh God help me. I need help." Claire prayed softly. She set the glass softly down on the table and folded her hands in front of her and closed her eyes and prayed to her Heavenly Father.  
  
"I'm here Claire. I'm here." Monica said looking lovely at the praying woman.  


***********

  
  
  
  
  



	2. Morning

"So how is my wonderful grandchildren this morning?" Hattie said with an smile as she watched Joshua, Dinah and Nathaniel get out of their beds on their half of the trailer.

  
  


"Sleepy." Josh yawned stretching.

  
  


"Awake." Dinah said with an small smile toward her grandmother as she made her way to the little closet where they kept the shower and toilet.

  
  


"Excited." Nathaniel said grinning ear to ear. He walked over to where his Aunt Claire was still lying in bed and crawled next to her on Russell's side of the bed.

  
  


"Getting comfortable." Russell grinned over at his nephew from where he was sitting at the kicten table.

  
  


"Of course." Nathaniel said laying his head on Claire's chest.

  
  


"What's with the snuggling mood this morning?" Claire asked with an slight smile as she stroked his hair from his forehead. 

  
  


"Just feel like it is all." Nathaniel brought his head up and asked worriedly. "You mind?"

  
  


"No not all. I quite love the fact that my children like to snuggle with me. It doesn't happen all that much anymore now that you three are grown." Claire said with an smile.

  
  


"I'm not to grown for an little snuggle with my aunt every now and than." Nathaniel said as he laid his head back down on her chest.

  
  


Claire brought her hand back to stoking his hair as she went back to thinking about waking up from the nightmare the night before.

  
  


Dinah walked out of the closet and walked over to her bed and pulled the curtain that separated the rest of the tailor to her little bedroom and dressed for the day. She hummed as she listened to Joshua step into the closet to take his shower. After dressing she pulled the curtain away and saw her little cousin snuggling with her mother. "What's up with that?"

  
  


"An little aunt and nephew time." Russell said with an smile over at his only daughter. 

  
  


"Cool." Dinah said walking over to sit across from her father as they waited for Hattie to fisten with fixing breakfeast. "Mama are you feeling all right?" She asked concerned looking over at her mother who was still in bed and still in her night clothes while everyone else was eighter dressed or getting ready to met the day. All expect for Nathaniel of course because he was waiting for Josh to get out of the shower.

  
  


"Of course dear." Claire said looking over at her daughter. "Why?"

"For one you aren't dressed and two you aren't helping grandmother like you usually do." Dinah said.

  
  


"Can't I have an off day?" Claire suddenly had an demand in her voice.

  
  


"O-of course Mama. I didn't mean anything by it. I was just curious is all." Dinah was taken back at her mother's tone of voice.

  
  


Claire sat up and Nathaniel got off the bed. "Oh Dinah I'm sorry for my grouchy attitude. I didn't mean it. I'm sorry." She got out of bed and walked to her daughter.

  
  


"It's all right Mama. You are human after all." Dinah got up from her seat and took the hug that her mother was offering.

  
  


Josh stepped from the closet and went to dressed and Nathaniel went in the closet for his turn in the shower.

  
  
  
  



End file.
